Smoke’s Shocking Twist: Creator Reveals Why We Got That Huge Episode 2 Cliffhanger and What’s Next

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Warning: Plot points from the first two episodes of Smoke have been revealed. You can watch it on Apple TV+ now with a subscription.

The long-awaited series titled “Smoke” will be airing in 2025, bringing together Dennis Lehane and Taron Egerton once again. This new drama is inspired by real incidents and follows a firefighter turned arson investigator and a police officer as they team up to catch two arsonists responsible for causing destructive fires. In an unexpected turn of events, the series doesn’t keep viewers guessing about the identities of the arsonists for long, with one character’s true nature significantly altering the narrative. Lehane, the creator of “Smoke,” discusses why these reveals come early in the series and offers insights into what lies ahead.

Following the style of the “Firebug” podcast, the series “Smoke” presents Jurnee Smollett in her latest TV role since “Lovecraft Country,” portraying Detective Michelle Calderon, a character with intricate complexities. Meanwhile, Taron Egerton assumes the role of Dave Gudsen, a retired firefighter and arson investigator turned aspiring novelist. Throughout their shared investigation, both characters carry personal baggage; however, in the initial two episodes released on premiere day, it appears that Dave’s significant weaknesses are his self-centeredness, excessive confidence in his writing abilities, and an apparent lack of understanding social cues with his wife and stepson.

In Episode 2, it was disclosed towards the end that Dave resorts to an unusual way of relieving stress that he can’t express towards people in his life – by lighting fires around the city by setting potato chip bags alight in grocery stores. Taron Egerton delivered a chilling performance as Dave, flashing a disturbing smile after igniting one such fire. The question then arose: how did Smoke manage to crack the case of the potato chip arsonist so swiftly? During Apple TV+’s press conference for the series, Dennis Lehane shed light on this mystery:

Instead of delaying the reveal, I chose to be upfront and honest with the audience. After all, today’s viewers are sharp and crave unpredictability. They’re always one step ahead, so as writers, we need to keep them guessing. That’s why I decided to skip the preamble and reveal the truth right away, allowing us to focus on the essence of the story: not who is responsible for the arson, but rather, the motive behind it.

Initially, the opening episodes laid a foundation for the climactic disclosure at the end of the second; as per the show’s maker, the narrative is now focusing on why Dave engages in his actions instead of identifying who is setting those chip bags ablaze. Just before igniting his first on-screen fire, an episode hinted that Michelle had suspicions about a specific former firefighter being responsible for the fires, suggesting she believes one of her partners could be among the two arsonists.

It’s almost unbelievable that a fire investigator who is also an arsonist is such an extraordinary twist, but author Dennis Lehane clarified the degree of inspiration drawn from the “Firebug” podcast versus what was purely original to his series.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself drawn into an intriguing narrative about a chasing game between an arson investigator and an enigmatic serial arsonist, who incidentally was also the author of a book based on this extraordinary experience. This captivating tale was being shopped around in New York City at the time. The fire element, both literally and symbolically, caught my attention due to its profound psychological and emotional resonance. These were the key elements that struck me from the podcast. However, the rest of Smoke is a product of our vivid imagination – it’s entirely fictional, and it was an absolute joy to bring these eccentric characters to life, given that everyone in the show seems to have a touch of madness.

As a movie enthusiast, I must say that “Smoke” incorporates aspects from reality, but it doesn’t quite reach the level of intensity that “Black Bird” offered a few years back. In his latest streaming series, Dennis Lehane certainly hasn’t shied away from portraying characters with a touch of madness, and I suspect we’ll witness more of this as the story unfolds. Among all the characters, Dave stands out as the most dangerous due to his unstable mindset, and I must commend Taron Egerton for his captivating performance in scenes with Dave’s wife and stepson during episode 2.

As Dave grew more and more agitated, both Ashley and Emmett seemed frightened of him. By the time he put on a fake grin and left for a break, it was arguably his most insincere smile in the first two episodes. Following the incident where he lit the potato chip bag on fire, donned sunglasses, a hood, and feigned an injury to conceal himself, it appears that he enjoys having hobbies – though some might find his pastime unusual.

To put it simply, the shift from “Who?” to “Why?” in the show early on is bound to create some intense conversations between the two main characters. Starting June 27, Apple TV+ will air a new episode every Friday until August, so make sure you don’t miss out! As we follow along, we’ll see how long Dave can hide his secret while he and Michelle work together to catch another arsonist.

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2025-06-28 02:39